


I didn't so much fall in love - It kicked me in the face

by rosesgonerogue



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Marinette has a son, Mother Marinette, Single Mother Marinette Dupain-Cheng, fashion designer marinette, super self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24599941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesgonerogue/pseuds/rosesgonerogue
Summary: Everyone thought that Marinette was crazy for taking a job in Gotham of all places, and on her first night, those people are proven right. Despite her first impressions of the place, she sticks it out with the help and encouragement of her son. Meanwhile, the Wayne family is curious about this strange fashion designer that finds her feet so quickly in this city. Tim, in particular, seems drawn to Marinette, and the designer can't help but feel the same. Is everyone going to be able to keep their secrets, well, secret?
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jagged Stone, Tim Drake/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 104
Kudos: 735





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone had thought that Marinette was crazy for choosing Gotham as the first city in America to accept a high-profile job, specifically a job that would require her in person. Despite all of the logical arguments against it, however, Marinette could feel it in her bones that this was where she was supposed to be. It felt like divine intervention beyond that of the usual kwami antics in her life. 

At that very moment, though, she had never wanted to curse the universe more. 

She tore through the unfamiliar streets, heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to shout his name, scream it from the rooftops, but she knew all too well justs how dangerous that would be. After all, she’d only just barely gotten away from the Scarecrow herself. 

“Tikki, where is he?” Marinette whispered, tears stinging her eyes. “I can’t lose him, I just…” 

“We  _ will  _ find him, Marinette,” she said, determined. “He can’t have gone far, and he knows how to keep himself safe. You’re still emotional from the fear toxin.” 

“But Gotham is so dangerous! I  _ knew  _ I should have left him home.” 

The kwami did her best to comfort the guardian, but she felt the same desperation growing with every minute.

“He wouldn’t have gone this far, Tikki, what if he-”

“ _ Maman! _ ” 

As she whipped around, Marinette’s frantic, fear-toxin addled mind locked onto two facts: her precious son was alive and well, and he was in the clutches of a costumed man.

She felt her heart rate spike, and everything she had learned and experienced as Ladybug boiled down to this one moment. In short, the man never stood a chance. 

“Ma’am, I-” 

As the stranger spoke, Marinette pivoted on her right heel, her left heel colliding with the man’s jaw with a sickening crunch. It was too fast for the average eye to see, and the man was felled in a moment, going down with a strangled grunt. 

Gathering Leo into her arms, she sprinted away, heartbeat still hammering in her chest. 

“ _ Maman, he’s nice,”  _ Leo said in French.  _ “He helped me, we were looking for you. He’s a hero, like Ladybug.”  _

“Marinette, you really need to go make sure he’s okay!” Tikki said, distressed. “If you explain about the fear toxin, I’m sure he’ll understand.” 

Finally her feet began to falter, the exercise further clearing the toxin from her mind. She squeezed Leo in her arms, horror mounting. “Oh no. I just roundhouse kicked one of Gotham’s vigilantes, didn’t I?” 

“I think so, Marinette.” 

It felt like a walk of shame, but when she made it back to the vigilante, he had at least propped himself up against a nearby wall. He was groaning, clutching his jaw. 

“Excuse me,  _ Monsieur? _ ” she said hesitantly. “I, uh, I’m the one who ki- oh no, is your jaw dislocated? I am so sorry! I didn’t- I mean, I just, there was fear toxin from Scarecrow, and I’m not from Gotham, and I was so worried about my son, and… I’ll stop talking now. I’ve fixed dislocated jaws before. May I help you?”

The vigilante - through process of elimination, he must be Red Robin - stared up at her with wide eyes. He didn’t exactly say  _ no _ , so Marinette kneeled down beside him. 

“The pain will get a lot better once I’m done,” she promised, discreetly harnessing the barest traces of magic to help this go smoothly. She’d done this for Chat Noir more than once, and as Guardian of the Miraculous, she had access to more than a little bit of healing magic. Red Robin looked more uneasy by the second, so Marinette just went for it. 

Sliding her fingers into the right position, she pushed down on his back teeth, simultaneously guiding his jaw back up into place, a burst of magic taking the brunt of the pain from him. 

Red Robin jerked backwards, working his jaw a few times. “Thank you?”

“I am so sorry!” Marinette repeated, standing and offering a hand to help up the vigilante. “There will still be a bruise for a few days. I promise I don’t make a habit of kicking vigilantes in the face.” 

He stood with her help, only looking a little dizzy. “Don’t worry about it, there were extenuating circumstances. If you don’t mind me asking, though, where are you from? If Gotham’s civilians were half as deadly as you are, our streets would be a lot safer.” 

“Paris, sir. My son Leo and I just arrived here tonight, actually. We were on our way to our hotel when we were caught up in one of Scarecrow’s attacks and I told him to run and hide. Does that mean you found him?” 

“Yes ma’am. You have a very well-behaved son,” he said, careful to keep his posture as harmless as possible. “And while you are obviously a capable defender, it would help me put my mind at ease if you let me walk you to where you’re staying.” 

She hoisted Leo up into her arms, the familiar weight soothing her. “Are you sure you want to? I very nearly broke your jaw five minutes ago.” 

“And you put everything back where it should be. Now where are you staying?

*************************

Tim couldn’t deny that he was intrigued by the woman in front of him. Not to mention she was attractive, but doubtlessly married. Anyone that wonderful in general had to be taken. 

What he fixated on, though, was her skill. Thinking her child was in danger would definitely be grounds for an adrenaline rush, but her movements were too controlled and practiced for it to be a fluke. Tim couldn’t have dodged her if he had tried. He didn’t think any of his brothers could have either, maybe not even Bruce. 

She was staying in a nicer hotel in Gotham, owned by Bruce, of course. When they arrived, Tim couldn’t stop himself from lingering in front of the hotel longer than strictly necessary, trying to do something, anything to understand the woman before him. He stayed in the shadows until they were out of sight, and even then he stayed a while yet, staring at where she had stood. 

The rest of his patrol was short, and he got back home about the same time as the others. When he slipped in, Jason was in the middle of telling Dick a story. 

“-and so I went in thinking it would be a normal hostage situation, but no. Right before I can get in, the door flies open and this girl runs out like a bat out of hell. She just vanishes into the night without a trace. I go in and the Riddler is already trussed up like a pig for the slaughter. I swear, I could marry that girl.” 

“Was she French?” Tim demanded, blatantly eavesdropping. 

Jason turned to meet his eyes, scrutinizing his brother. “And how would you know that, replacement?” 

“I ran into her after that. She has a kid, and I found him. She dislocated my jaw when she thought I was trying to take him.” 

Damian snorted. “Did she damage your delicate ego along with your delicate face?” 

“Isn’t it your bedtime?” Tim fired back. “After all, it is a school night and we know how much you need your beauty sleep.” 

“She really dislocated your jaw?” Dick asked, looking thoughtful. 

“With a roundhouse kick. She put it back into place too.” 

“Not just anyone can do that. Maybe we need to keep a closer eye on this girl.” 

“We can do some research tomorrow,” Bruce said, appearing out of thin air. “Go to sleep, all of you. Tomorrow we have the meeting with MDC and we need to make a good impression. Tim, that includes you. No more caffeine until you’ve had at least six hours of sleep.” 

Normally Tim would have chafed under Bruce’s orders - he was a grown man  _ and  _ CEO of Wayne Enterprises, after all. But for once he felt like he could actually sleep, without nightmares, even. 

He was meeting his favorite fashion designer tomorrow, after all. For some reason his thoughts were consumed by a certain French woman, however. Just before he drifted off to sleep, he idly wondered what color her eyes were.


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette had never made a habit of it, but that night she let Leo sleep in her bed for both of their sakes. She needed him right next to her so she knew he was safe, alive. 

She was awake before him, which was rare, but expected after the events from yesterday - it was a lot for a six-year-old to handle. Without thinking, she reached out, slowly stroking his hair. 

At the sensation, Leo’s eyes cracked open, blue that matched her own. “ _ Maman? Is everything okay?”  _

She pressed a kiss to his silky black hair. “ _ Everything is wonderful because you’re with me. Are you ready to get up?”  _

He yawned, slowly nodding. “ _ What do we need to do today?”  _

_ “Well, we have an important meeting this afternoon, but until then, what would you like to do?”  _

Leo, ever the serious child, though deeply, his eyebrows furrowing. “ _ What is safe and fun in this city?”  _

Tapping her chin, Marinette pretended to think just as deeply. “ _ I don’t know, I’ve never been to Gotham before. But you know who has?”  _

_ “Who, Maman?”  _

_ “Uncle Jagged has!”  _

Like the sun breaking through storm clouds, Leo’s face cleared, a smile spreading across his lips. “ _ Can we please call him, Maman? He could tell us what we should do!”  _

_ “Ah, how did I get such a brilliant boy?”  _ Marinette asked, poking him in the ribs. “ _ That’s an excellent idea, let’s call him right now.”  _

She couldn’t help but smile as she watched Leo talk animatedly on the phone with Jagged. He was an interesting child, with his uncommon seriousness. But in moments like this, Marinette could see the same excitement and vivacity that every child held - it was just contained in his eyes, in the way that his voice was pitched a little higher than usual. She had worried about it for a while, but it wasn’t an issue, it was what made Leo, Leo. When it came down to it, she wouldn’t have him any different than he was. 

Whether his seriousness was a result of her connection to the Miraculous like some of his other quirks, Marinette could never know. But she resolved every day to fill his life with fun and teach him the things that he needed to know. 

Thinking of yesterday, she couldn’t contain her relief that he was okay. Before she knew what she was doing, Marinette had reached out, wrapping her arms around her son and squeezing tightly. 

Somber blue eyes met hers.  _ “Maman, what are you doing?”  _

_ “I just love you so much, I couldn’t stop myself,”  _ she said, pressing a kiss into his hair. 

_ “Well, you can love me after I’m finished talking to Uncle Jagged. It’s rude to interrupt.”  _

_ “Ah, you’re right. Tell Uncle Jagged hello for me, and tell him I’m sorry.”  _

***************

Tim paced around Bruce’s office, feeling a bit twitchy. He’d tried to limit his caffeine intake today, but it might have backfired on him. What if he embarrassed himself in front of MDC? He was fairly sure he would just die on the spot.

“So are you guys interested in a bet?” Jason asked with a wicked smile. “Ten bucks says that MDC is actually some old man.” 

“Nah, I refuse to believe that,” Dick said, lightly shoving his brother. “MDC has to be a woman. Look at their attention to detail!” 

“Isn’t that sexist or some crap?” Jason asked. “What say you, Timmy? Have you dug up anything about who MDC is and failed to share with your brothers?” 

“I haven’t found anything,” Tim said, which was true, but not for lack of trying. 

“I didn’t think anyone was beyond Tim’s reach,” Dick said, raising his eyebrows. “But you still know more about MDC than the rest of us. What do you think?” 

“You’re making it sound like I stalk them or something. I just admire their work,” Tim said dismissively. He did know a  _ bit  _ too much about MDC, after all. There were some suspicions, like the fact that they were most likely French, and he’d spent more than a few hours arguing on forum posts about the designer. 

“I will admit, this MDC’s clothes are marginally impressive, but they’re still just clothes. It’s hardly anything worth this level of excitement, Drake,” Damian said, no doubt disgusted by Tim’s display of emotion.

“Are you crazy, Demon Spawn?!” Jason demanded. “MDC is an unparalleled genius! Their work even got me and the replacement to agree on something.” 

“And you will treat them with respect,” Alfred said sternly. “It’s the least you can do after they have travelled all this way for your collective benefit.” 

Damian sulked, but Tim couldn’t be bothered by his normal unpleasantness. He’d been following MDC’s career almost from the very beginning, and now he was going to be part of her clientele. He was meeting her as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, which was both a blessing and a curse. It meant that he would be playing a part, and therefore infinitely more likely to keep some form of his dignity in tact. However, it also meant that he couldn’t get an autograph without jeopardizing said dignity. 

Dick and Jason were daily spitballing ideals of what they might ask MDC for while Bruce supervised Damian, making sure that any and all weapons in the room were out of sight. Tim knew he was acting a bit… juvenile, but there was something inexplicably exciting and unexplainably important about this meeting. 

That didn’t mean that Tim’s heart didn’t nearly stop beating when the doorbell rang. 

He could hear the door open and close, along with Alfred greeting the guest, directing them to the parlor. It was a woman’s voice, confirming Tim’s long-standing suspicions, and she had a French accent, which made his mind revert back to the previous night. But it was a coincidence, it had to-

Her eyes were a shade of blue he didn’t know existed. It was her, the mystery woman - her son even trailed after her, wide eyes the same as his mother’s. 

She smiled warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet each of you. I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” 


	3. Chapter 3

The Wayne Manor was exactly what Marinette had come to expect after years of knowing famous people. It was expertly decorated, but it had an almost somber feel to it - it matched Gotham’s general aesthetic. 

Also meeting expectations was the Wayne family itself. Marinette had done her homework, taking hours to research each member long before setting foot in Gotham. It was clear that they had been warned to behave, but chaos still bubbled beneath their calm facades, she could see it in their eyes. 

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, allow me to introduce you to Masters Bruce, Richard, Jason, Timothy, and Damian.” 

Marinette nodded to each in turn, her hand unconsciously tightening on Leo’s. She took a steadying breath. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and this is my son Leo. If you’re interested, I made some macarons for you, as I do for most meetings with my clients.” She set the box on the coffee table. “I would recommend eating them in the next day or so.” 

Tim looked like he was going to faint, and it was then that Marinette noticed the harsh bruise on his jaw - almost like he’d gotten kicked. Surely it had to be a coincidence, there was no way… 

Damian huffed, and the entire family seemed to stiffen. When he spoke, his words were sharp, acidic. “You’re meant to be a seamstress, not a baker. Besides, what kind of professional brings a child to a business meeting? Is his father too worthless to watch him?” 

Everyone in the room froze, and Marinette could feel the warmth drain out of her. She felt eerily similar to when Tikki used ice powers, in fact. There was no way for her to know, but when she spoke, Marinette’s words carried the weight of an avalanche. 

“You yourself are legally a child sitting in on a business meeting, Monsieur Wayne, and I did not object to it because I trust your father to parent you how he sees fit. I could explain to you that other than myself, my only options for Leo’s care are my parents, who are busy preparing for my mother’s surgery while running the most successful bakery in Paris, or my friends, who are all dealing with professional lives of their own. I could explain that, but I shouldn’t have to, because he is my son, and I will raise him as I see fit. And I’m a fashion designer, not a seamstress. This isn’t the seventeenth century.” She paused, staring the offender down. “Do you have any further objections, Monsieur Wayne?” 

A small part of her glowed in satisfaction when Damian ducked his head. “Do as you must.” She missed the way that Tim blinked owlishly, exchanging surprised looks with Dick.

Instead she straightened her jacket, murmuring a few comforting words to Leo before finally letting his hand go. “I prefer getting to know my clients before I actually begin, it helps me make the perfect piece. Does some-”

“I’ll be first,” Jason said, shoving Dick out of the way.

“Perfect. If you’ll come this way, Monsieur Todd, we can sit…”

*************

The satisfied look on Jason’s face was more than a little disconcerting to Tim. He didn’t really feel like hearing the woman who’d occupied his mind for the past day, so he turned his attention elsewhere. He still needed to come to terms with the fact that she had gone head to head with Damian and come out  _ on top  _ after all.

Leo was scrutinizing one of the paintings on the wall, a tiny version of MDC herself. He had the same dark hair, light freckles on pale skin, and wide blue eyes…

No. Please no. Tim glanced subtly at Bruce. Surely he wouldn’t try to adopt either parts. Marinette was an adult with two living parents, and Leo had Marinette, so they were safe, right? 

Regardless, that would be an issue for another time. Tim found himself crouching next to Leo.  _ “That painting is of Monsieur Bruce’s parents,” _ he said in French. 

The child switched his soulful eyes to Tim’s face, his expression serious.  _ “You know French.”  _

_ “Yes, I really like languages, so I learned as many as I could,”  _ Tim said, resisting the urge to ruffle the boy’s hair. “ _ Your name is Leo, right?”  _

_ “Yes, Monsieur.”  _

_ “You can call me Tim. Are you enjoying Gotham so far?”  _

Leo thought hard for a moment.  _ “Maman and I had a lot of fun today, but yesterday was a little scary, the way it sometimes gets in Paris.”  _

He desperately wanted to ask Leo more about the scary things in Paris, but it wasn’t fair to ask a child. Instead, Tim let the boy pull him around the parlor, asking questions about anything he found even remotely interesting. 

“ _ And that is the trophy Dick, my oldest brother, got for gymnastics in seventh grade,”  _ Tim explained, hefting the boy higher up so he could see the object in question more clearly. “ _ That’s the ribbon Jason got for a creative writing contest, and Damian’s martial arts trophy. A couple of these belong to Bruce…”  _

Leo stared at the glass case like it would afford him the answers to the universe before looking up to Tim’s face.  _ “Where are your trophies?”  _

_ “What?”  _

_ “Everyone else has trophies. Where are yours?”  _

_ “That’s… I mean, I have some, I just didn’t think they were very important,”  _ Tim said with a shrug. 

“ _ But families should be together,”  _ Leo said with wide, unblinking eyes.  _ “That’s why I wanted to come with Maman, even though it made your brother be mean to her.”  _

Tim smiled, pushing down the barrage of emotions fighting within him.  _ “You’re right, you’re absolutely right. Your Maman is a very smart lady.”  _

_ “Maman is the smartest,”  _ Leo said solemnly. 

“ _ You must be right again,”  _ Tim said conspiratorially.  _ “She’s also the best at making clothes.”  _

The boy’s face didn’t change in the least, there wasn’t a trace of a smile, but he slowly patted Tim’s cheek.  _ “I like you.”  _

_ “That’s high praise.”  _

TIm golted, his cheeks flooding with color when he found himself next to Marinettte. She was smiling kindly when she said, “Thank you for watching Leo, that really wasn’t necessary. But I didn’t know you spoke French. That’s very impressive, Mr. Drake.”

“Call me Tim, please. And you’ve caught me, I have a deep love of languages. It’s helped in this position, though,” he said with a smile. “Business transactions are a lot easier when you don’t need a translator.” 

“I’ve also found that to be true,” Marinette said, lips quirked. “It’s finally your turn for your consultation. We can do it with or without Leo, whatever you would prefer.” 

_ “Leo and I are friends now, of course I would need his opinion!”  _ Tim said, just barely noticing that he was still holding the child. “ _ After all, I need his help making sure that I have the best suit at the entire Wayne Gala.”  _

That actually coaxed a smile out of the boy, and the resemblance between him and his mother had never been stronger. Marinette looked surprised, but her eyes were warm.  _ “A lot of designers despair over men’s fashion, you know. People lash out whenever you stray too far from the traditional designs, and no one can really reinvent the suit. While it doesn’t let us exercise as much creativity and freedom as women’s fashion, I actually love things like this. Men’s suits are all about attention to detail - how I can work to show your personality in an appropriate but memorable manner. Do you have any specific requests?”  _

Against his will, Tim felt his face heat up, doubtlessly turning as red as his vigilante suit.  _ “I fully admit that I was the one who originally commissioned you. I even had to fight Damian. And yet, I haven’t thought about the specifics of what I might want until now.”  _

Thankfully, Marinette laughed.  _ “You’d be surprised at how often that happens. That’s perfectly fine. I just didn’t want to leave out anything you desperately wanted. Do you have a specific color for your suit in mind?”  _

_ “Black?”  _ Tim asked helplessly.  _ “I’ve followed your career for a long time, Mademoiselle, but that doesn’t mean that I know anything about fashion. I just know that your fashion seems… magical.”  _

Marinette’s lips quirked upwards, a knowing sparkle in her eyes.  _ “That’s an interesting comment. I have a proposal for you, Timothy Drake. If you have any pressing requests I will include them, but I want to keep yours a surprise.”  _

Tim swallowed, completely unprepared to deal with the sparkle in her eyes.  _ “I trust you.” _

_ “The exterior is going to be a neutral color because you’re a business man who needs to keep up appearances. That means the most fun we’ll get to have is with the lining. Any opinions?”  _ Marinette asked. “ _ I only bring it up because it’s the most flexible part.”  _

_ “I don’t know, I think all of my suit linings are black or gray,”  _ Tim said, slightly distressed. 

Leo stared him down with serious eyes before saying, “ _ Maman, the inside needs to be red. Ladybug red.”  _

_ “Ladybug? You want me to look like a beetle?”  _ Tim asked. 

Marinette smiled slightly at his comment, but her eyes were fixed on her son. “ _ Are you sure, mon cher?  _ Ladybug _ red?” _

_ “That’s what he needs,”  _ Leo confirmed. 

Thinking about his brothers’ laughter if he showed up in a polka-dot suit, Tim asked again, “ _ Ladybugs? Are you sure, Leo?”  _

_ “Oh, not the bug,”  _ the fashion designer assured him, finally breaking eye contact with her son. “ _ She tries to keep her existence quiet, but Ladybug is one of Paris’s heroes.”  _

_ “She’s the best hero,”  _ Leo said solemnly. “ _ But you’re nice like she is. You need to have red like she does.”  _

There was a strange look in Marinette’s eye that Tim couldn’t quite decipher, but she smiled nonetheless. “ _ You should feel honored. Once someone back in Paris asked me to make something in Ladybug red, and Leo hid the fabric so I had to make it in a slightly different shade. He must really like you.”  _

He wanted to say something, anything. Tim had never felt so… he didn’t even know how to describe it. He had spent his life building it into what he had wanted it to be, propping himself up with his accomplishments. He stood alone in his skyscraper, trying to catch up to Bruce and his brothers, but Marinette and Leo had violently dragged him down to the ground, standing outside with everyone. Maybe his family had never been as distant as he thought. 

Or maybe the caffeine withdrawal was finally getting to him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know in Maribat that most people love Damian to be sweet and romantic, but   
> 1\. This isn't Daminette, and   
> 2\. He's always been kind of a jerk. Thus this chapter was born.   
> I hope you all enjoy it! I'm not well-versed in romance, and this is an attempt at getting better at the genre. Let me know how I did and what you guys think!


	4. Chapter 4

No matter how hard she tried, Marinette couldn’t deny the fact that she found Timothy Drake incredibly attractive. But she had to push it down for the sake of professionalism. In all actuality, all of the Wayne brothers were attractive, but she and Tim just… clicked. She wanted to stay here and talk to him, pick his mind about his likes and dislikes. It  _ really  _ did not help that Leo was insistent that Tim got Ladybug red lining. 

Because that was  _ huge.  _ Leo knew Ladybug’s identity, and he was staunchly protective of the heroine because of that. He knew something, or intuited something about Tim that Marinette hadn’t caught onto yet. Leo’s insistence was more than curious, and it consumed enough of Marinette’s thoughts that she managed to avoid pondering the fact that the majority of the family had at least  _ some  _ trace of the Lazarus Pits on them. 

The Lazarus Pits were something that Marinette had only learned about from the book, but the sensation was unmistakable. They were dark, twisted Miraculous magic, a result of a wish born from the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses. It was a magic that was able to heal someone at the expense of their sanity, or sometimes their humanity, at least so the kwamis had reported. But the magic was faded - it had been at least a few years since any of them had interacted with the pools. It had taken her some time to confirm the feeling, but now Marinette was sure of it. If the Wayne family was indeed the “Bat Family,” as Gotham had dubbed the vigilantes, then they were involved in some things beyond even the Justice League. 

If that  _ was  _ the case, then Tim should have been the last person she focused on. He was remarkably free of the vile magic. Even knowing that, as well as Marinette’s responsibilities as the Guardian of the Miraculous, she couldn’t help but gravitate towards Tim.

She really wanted nothing more than to talk to the man for hours, but Marinette couldn’t. It felt like she was with her friends and it was late enough that she knew logically that she needed to leave, but it also felt like she couldn’t help but leave a part of herself behind when she did. But Marinette was an adult, with a job and a child to take care of. Purposely tearing her eyes away from him , she looked at the clock. “ _ Well, it’s getting late, Tim. I’m sure you have important business to attend to, and I have a number of suits to make. It was lovely meeting you, and thank you once again for being so attentive to Leo.”  _

_ “It was my pleasure, Marinette.”  _

Slipping away, Marinette couldn’t escape the thoughts and emotions pounding in her mind. The Wayne family was truly an eclectic group. 

Alfred waited for her at the doorway, his posture perfect. “On behalf of the Wayne family, I thank you, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” 

Maybe it was just the residual emotions from the Waynes - because there were many - but now that she wasn’t distracted, something felt… different about the butler.  _ Miraculous.  _

“And thank you for all of your assistance,  _ Monsieur.  _ I’m afraid I missed your last name.” 

“Pennyworth,  _ Madame.  _ Sir Alfred Pennyworth.” 

“Well, Sir Pennyworth, I hope to see you again soon,” Marinette said warmly, squeezing Leo’s hand. “Have a wonderful day.” 

“You as well,” he said, inclining his head. 

A car was waiting outside for them, and as Marinette was buckling Leo in, he said, “ _ Monsieur Pennyworth needs something blue like Duusu.” _

His eyes were grave - Marinette often thought that she wasn’t capable of possibly fathoming half of the things that went through his mind. Apparently being born to the guardian and wielder of the Miraculous had some side-effects - like his scary accurate intuition. 

“ _ Don’t worry,”  _ she said, ruffling his hair.  _ “I’ll make something special for Mr. Pennyworth. But if he’s blue like Duusu, why is Monsieur Drake Ladybug red?”  _

_ “He matches you,”  _ Leo said simply before becoming fixated on something outside of the car. 

Well. Marinette got to decipher what that was supposed to mean alone, it seemed. 

**********

As soon as the designer was gone, Damian huffed, crossing his arms. “She at least seems marginally capable.” 

“She’s more than marginally capable, Little D,” Dick said, shaking his youngest brother. “She’s  _ MDC.”  _

“Are we going to discuss the fact that she’s the tourist from patrol the other night?” Jason asked, lounging across an armchair.

“The one you had to get out of a tree? Why would she-”

“No, the one that took down Scarecrow single-handedly and then managed to kick the replacement in the face,” Jason said, snickering. 

“Are you  _ kidding  _ me?” Dick asked, eyes alight with excitement. “She’s that one?” 

“It was probably just adrenaline,” Damian muttered. “You said she had been looking for her child, didn’t you?” 

“Speaking of the kid, he sees way too much,” Jason butted in. “It’s like he can look into your soul. And you can’t adopt either of them, Bruce, no matter how much they look like Waynes.” 

“There are other options,” Bruce said dismissively. “But if we want to keep our identities a secret, we need to be especially cautious. Tim, I want you to do a background check now that we have a full name. Nothing too deep, she hasn’t given us any real reason to be suspicious yet.” 

“Nonsense,” Damian said with a curled lip. “We should have done a full investigation before she even set foot in Gotham.” 

“Damian, you  _ will _ show her respect,” Bruce warned. 

“Hey B, do you know anything about a Parisian hero named Ladybug?” Tim asked. “Leo was talking about her like she was a pretty big deal.” 

“The name is familiar. She and a handful of other heroes popped up in Paris a little less than ten years ago. There isn’t much information on them, but they seem harmless enough, leading recycling efforts and such. They’re likely more public mascots than actual heroes.” 

“That would be kind of nice, wouldn’t it?” Dick wondered idly. “What would it be like, worrying about recycling and friendship more than actual crime?” 

“Either the Parisian cops are damn good at their job, or the city is a disaster,” Jason speculated. “The more I think about it, Paris sounds like a great vacation spot. You should take us there on our next family trip, Bruce.” 

“We don’t do family trips,” Damian sneered. 

“You should take us on family trips, Bruce.” 

“Think of all of the family bonding we could do!” Dick exclaimed with stars in his eyes. While they all argued about whether or not a family trip was feasible, or even worthwhile, Tim slipped away to his room. 

His mind was bogged down with visions of blue eyes and a musical laugh. The only word he could think of to describe how he felt was “bewitched,” but Tim felt like that was far from just to the source of the problem. 

It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door and none other but Dick Grayson pushed his way into the room. “Everything okay, Tim?” he asked, eyes clearly concerned. 

“I’m fine, I just… This is completely embarrassing. I was just… distracted.” 

Dick scrutinized him for a moment before his face cleared. “Oh.  _ Oh.”  _

“Don’t make it sound like that,” Tim said, throwing a pillow. “I just… I don’t think I’ve spoken that easily to a woman ever. Marinette… She was amazing.” 

“I did notice that you two were getting along. It’s okay if you like her, Timmie. In case you haven’t gotten the memo, the whole vigilante life doesn’t immediately exclude you from having a love life.” 

“I know, I’ve seen it, but - Ugh, it’s all so confusing. I think I could really,  _ really  _ like her, but she’s too bright, too precious. Gotham would drain the life out of her, just like it does to everything else.” 

Dick thought for a moment before ruffling his brother’s hair. “First of all, I think you’re not giving Marinette enough credit. She’s already been through an attack, and it was with Scarecrow, no less. Somehow she managed to take him down,  _ and  _ she almost took you out too. Gotham’s got nothing on that girl.” 

“I know, it’s just hard to reconcile the Marinette I just met with the one that kicked me in the face,” Tim said, rubbing his temples. “What’s second?” 

“Hmm?” 

“You said ‘first of all.’ That means that you’ve got a second part.” 

Moving to Tim’s doorway, Dick looked back with half a smile. “Second of all, no one ever said you  _ had  _ to stay in Gotham.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short on Leo, but I fully intend to make up for that later. Enjoy the latest chapter, and let me know what you think! I'm fairly new to writing romance, so any feedback is welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: There's implied rape in this chapter, kids. It's never discussed or described explicitly, just beware, and keep yourself mentally safe and healthy.

The Wayne family wouldn’t leave Marinette’s head for a number of reasons. Their evident knowledge of the Lazarus Pit was an issue, and there was the fact that their butler was a previous Miraculous user. Tim also happened to have a bruise in the precise spot where she had kicked Red Robin the other day. Too many questions and coincidences were piling up for any one family, it was alarming. 

But the mere thought of Tim was incredibly distracting. A slight blush stole over her cheeks at the mere thought of him. He wasn’t what she had expected of the C.E.O. of Wayne Enterprises. To be completely honest, she had chosen to consult him last so she had time to get in the zone and not make a complete fool of herself. She had to act like a professional! 

But he’d also been kind, so incredibly kind when he had dealt with Leo, and unlike most people, completely non judgemental of the fact that she seemed too young to have a five-year-old. She felt… she wasn’t sure how she felt. She recognized some of the same emotions her younger self had felt around Adrien, but it was also more mature. She didn’t feel like she was going to trip over her tongue every time she spoke to him.

Luckily Leo was absorbed in scribbling down one of his many ideas in the car, so she was able to try and puzzle some of this out.

Was she really suspecting Tim Drake of being Red Robin? Some of the mannerisms matched, sure, and there was also a possibility of the rest of Gotham’s vigilantes and the Wayne family being connected. It would explain a lot. She hadn’t seen much of Red Hood in action when he’d found her, and she’d seen absolutely nothing of the others, but from what she knew, it fit. It fit eerily well, even the mystery of the butler somehow felt right.

In the hotel room, Marinette and Leo were soon swarmed by eager kwamis. (Initially Marinette had been staunchly opposed to bringing the  _ entire _ Miracle Box with her to Gotham, but as it was a longer stay, and a dangerous area, they convinced her that they needed to come as well. Secretly Marinette was convinced that they just wanted a sort of vacation.)

“How was it? What were the Waynes like?” 

“Were they handsome?” 

“Gotham is dangerous, are you okay?” 

“We’re just fine, thank you for worrying,” Marinette said warmly. “Duusu, I have an important question for you. Does the name Alfred Pennyworth mean anything to you?” 

The peacock’s face positively lit up. “Oh, did you meet Alfie? How is he? Where did you meet him?” 

“He’s the Waynes’ butler,” she explained, stretching her arms. “So you did know him?” 

“Oh, we worked together for years! He’s my favorite chick I’ve ever had. I would have happily stayed with him for years, but someone stole the brooch,” Duusu said, wilting a bit. “Nooroo and I were sold from buyer to buyer until Gabriel found us.” 

“Can he be trusted?” 

“Alfred? More than any other human I know.” 

Marinette patted the kwami on the head with one finger. “I’ll get a message to him, if you’d like.” 

“Just make sure that none of the Waynes overhear,” Wayzz warned. 

“They aren’t what they seems,” Trixx agreed sagely. 

“But they’re not bad people,” Leo said suddenly, notebook forgotten. “We can trust them when the time comes.” 

A shiver ran down Marinette’s spine as she looked into the eyes of her son. When Marinette was pregnant with him, she had worried endlessly. All previous holders had given up their Miraculous when they were pregnant, but their children were always faster, smarter, and stronger than average. But Marinette was the  _ guardian _ , which sometimes made her feel like her body was more magic than human. How would it affect her dear child? 

Leo turned out to be the best child she had ever met. He could be mischievous at times, but he was endlessly kind. He was mature for any age, and Marinette often felt magic thrumming through him, though the kwami assured her that he had to be a bit older before that could manifest. All you had to do to see that he was different was look into Leo’s eyes; her son just saw  _ more  _ than other people. 

“I believe you,  _ mon cher, _ ” Marinette said with a smile. “You’ve never been wrong before.” 

“Monsieur Tim is the best, though,” Leo said gravely.. “He showed me their paintings and trophies and books, and it feels like we were supposed to meet him. He’s important.” 

**************

Tim couldn’t help but dive a little  _ too  _ deep into Marinette’s records. It wasn’t the most extensive report he’d ever done by any means, but the more he found out, the more he wanted to know. 

MDC was a saint. She frequently auctioned off commissions publicly for various charities, all respectable and legitimate, and a good portion of her income was privately donated as well. But more than being a philanthropist, she also regularly organized community service efforts, none of which she connected to MDC’s brand, and all of which she ended up in the thick of, working harder than any other volunteer. 

One particular finding bothered Tim, however. He’d noticed with mixed feelings that there was no father listed on Leo’s birth certificate. That seemed contrary to Marinette’s character, but he very much did not want his suspicions to be proved correct. 

It was buried fairly deep, no part of the proceedings were made public - much to his horror, Marinette had still been a minor at the time of the trial. He didn’t know much of the French legal jargon, and most of the records were confidential enough that he didn’t dare go digging any farther. It wasn’t worth causing another international incident. 

The only concrete things Tim was able to learn were, 1.) at seventeen-years-old, Marinette had testified in court, and 2.) the man had been found guilty, and served a sentence that Tim couldn’t help but find too light. It was far too tempting to dig into the man’s past and completely ruin his life on the off chance that the man was ever released, so Tim forced himself to find a distraction. Remembering Leo’s words, that distraction came in the form of a particular Parisian superhero. 

He’d heard whispers of Ladybug, naturally, but he had mentally categorized her as a public mascot, someone that was of very little consequence or threat. There were hundred of PSAs with Ladybug online, and everyone knew about Ladybug Day, a day where everyone participated in some kind of service of kind deed. 

Tim wasn’t sure what he expected to find, maybe the actress’s name, but as soon as he dug any deeper than surface-level, he found himself tangled in a truly impressive firewall. He couldn’t help but be excited - he hadn’t had a challenge like that for quite some time. If Paris was  _ this  _ secretive about Ladybug, there was clearly more to her than meets the eye. 

The firewall took some skill to get around, but he wouldn’t be stopped. When he finally made it past everything, he leaned forward in his chair, eyes riveted to the screen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised you guys some more Leo time, and I delivered! I love hearing your comments about him in particular - kid characters are tricky, but I've had a lot of fun with Leo, and I've picked bits and pieces of his personality from nieces and nephews that I still miss dearly. Let me know what you guys think!  
> On a slightly different note, I know that Leo’s dad is a different route than most Maribat authors would take. I understand that it’s a sensitive topic, but this is more of a recovery success story. I don’t want to undermine any of the canon characters, and Leo is more of a child of the kwamis than he is his biological father. We’re going to see more of that later, though. This is only really going to be brought up once more in the story.


	6. Chapter 6

Several days later, Marinette was making decent progress on the suits for the Wayne family - she had the bulk of the work finished, thanks to a night of insomnia, now she just had to do the final fittings and line them. It was a bit backwards, but the linings were intricate enough that she didn’t dare do it until she made sure the silhouette was perfect. She hadn’t spent hours hand-painting silk for it to sit wrong inside the suit-coats. 

Bundling up her precious work, Marinette took Leo’s hand, leaving the hotel where a car was waiting for them. 

_ “Did you bring the tie for Monsieur Alfred, Maman?” _ Leo asked, a sparkle in his eyes. 

_ “Of course I did, _ ” Marinette said, showing it to her son.  _ “Do you think he’ll like it?”  _

Leo scrutinized the article of clothing before solemnly nodding.  _ “It’s what he needs. He’s… sad.”  _

A chill ran down Marinette’s spine - Leo always seemed to know so much more than should be possible. But…  _ “I’m glad that you like to make everyone happy, ma cher.”  _

_ “I want Maman to be happy most of all.”  _

Marinette blinked.  _ “But I am happy, Leo. I have you, what more could I need?”  _

_ “You try to hide it, but you get sad sometimes. You want the same kind of happy that grandmere and grandpere have, the happy you get from a person you like a lot. I want Maman to be happy.”  _

_ “Leo,”  _ Marinette murmured, her breath catching slightly. She hadn’t made any attempts at dating since… since Leo came along. In the beginning she’d been an emotional wreck, but she’d put the circumstances of his conception behind her years ago. With love, support, and therapy, she was… okay. 

_ “We’re supposed to be in Gotham,”  _ Leo affirmed.  _ “It will help you be happy.” _

_ “I’ll…”  _ Marinette faltered, unsure how she was granted such a perfect child.  _ “I trust you, Leo. I’ll look for opportunities. But no one can possibly make me more happy than you do.”  _

_ “Not more happy,”  _ he assured her, patting her hand.  _ “Different happy.”  _

That left Marinette blinking away tears when the driver announced their arrival at Wayne Manor. She took the time to thank him before clambering out of the car, Leo in tow. 

None other than Alfred himself greeted them at the door, perfectly composed as always. “Miss Dupain-Cheng, you’re certainly welcome here, but I am currently the only other person home at the moment. The men won’t be available for their fittings for a while.” 

“Thank you, Alfred. And it’s Marinette, please,” she said with a smile. “But this works out perfectly. I wanted to chat with you for a moment or two.” 

“Please come in, then. May I offer you some tea?” 

The three settled down comfortably, Leo gnawing on a cookie as Marinette tried to figure out how to broach the topic of… well, anything. 

_ “Maman, give it to him,”  _ Leo prompted. 

_ “You’re absolutely right, Leo,”  _ she said, retrieving a small gift bag.  _ “For you, Alfred.”  _

_ “Miss Marinette, I couldn’t! You are a guest of the Wayne family, you shouldn’t feel obligated to make anything for me!”  _

_ “It was no obligation, I enjoyed it. Besides, it was partially at the request of a mutual friend.”  _

He hesitantly opened the bag, gingerly pulling out the tie, his hand shaking every so slightly. It was a beautiful piece of silk, carefully embroidered with intricate peacock feathers, the fabric a deep blue, exactly the same shade as - 

“ _ Duusu, _ ” he breathed.  _ “Is he well?”  _

_ “Would you like to ask him yourself?”  _ Marinette nodded to Leo, who carefully placed a miraculous box on the coffee table. 

_ “He told me of the other kwami,”  _ Alfred said hesitantly,  _ “and I felt something about you when we first met, but I thought it was just old age effecting me. If you don’t mind me asking, how-” _

_ “Marinette is Ladybug!”  _ Duusu chirped, startling both adults.  _ “You two were taking too long, so Leo let me out.”  _

_ “Duusu, my old friend. It’s been decades.”  _

Marinette concentrated on stirring her tea intently, graciously giving the older man the emotional space that he needed and ignoring the tears that were building in his eyes. 

_ “Alfie! I never thought I would get to see you again!”  _ Duusu chirped, excitedly flying around the man’s head. 

_ “We’ll give you some time alone,”  _ Marinette said softly, leading Leo out of the room. When the door closed behind them, she patted his head.  _ “You did an excellent thing. I think you just made Monsieur Pennyworth very happy.”  _

_ “We both did, Maman.”  _

_ “We did good, squirt.”  _

It wasn’t long before Alfred emerged, cupping the peacock broach in his hands with the utmost care. 

_ “There is still some time before the family arrives for their fittings. I was preparing to make some desserts to serve with tea. This is not a demand or a request, but if you would like to help, I would not be opposed.”  _

_ “What do you think, Leo? We haven’t gotten to bake since we left Paris. Tikki would probably enjoy some fresh cookies.”  _

Before the child could respond, the kwami in question flew into sight.  _ “I think that’s a great idea!”  _

********

For once in his life, Tim got home sooner than expected. A meeting had been cancelled, and his personal assistant seemed more worried about his lack of sleep than normal. Admittedly, he’d spent far too much time researching Ladybug. He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around everything he’d seen, not to mention the fact that the entire city of Paris had been able to keep their heroes a secret, especially as tourism had only increased since her debut. 

There was one thing in particular that Tim couldn't stop thinking about. In all of the clips of Ladybug, (and he had watched  _ all  _ of them), there was one move she repeated not infrequently, a certain pivoting high kick that he had recently been introduced to. It was curious that Marinette was able to execute it so well, but it wouldn’t be the first time a civilian had imitated a vigilante’s moves. It was just… curious. 

Also curious was the smells that greeted him upon opening the manor door. Alfred’s cooking always smelled good, but Tim was fairly certain that this was what heaven was supposed to smell like. He couldn’t help but follow the scent to the kitchen.

_ “Maman, the frosting needs more color,”  _ a small voice said. 

Leo was standing on a stool, stirring his bowl of frosting carefully enough that his apron wasn’t necessary in the least. Tim felt his heart skip a beat when Marinette turned around to help her son with a smile. Her eyes were soft, and unlike her son, her apron was covered in flour and flecks of batter. He swore his knees went weak when those eyes landed on him and she smiled like he was the sunshine in her life. 

It was the way he remembered his mother smiling at his father.

_ “Leo, Monsieur Tim is home. Say bonjour!”  _ she said, pointing.  _ “Why don’t you explain what we’re making?”  _

_ “Bonjour, Monsieur Tim. Maman and I got here early, so we wanted to make treats for your family like my grandmere and grandpere make treats for me when I get home from school,”  _ Leo said, his eyes the only indication of his excitement. 

_ “So what are you teaching Alfred to make?”  _

_ “We’re making madeleines, a personal favorite of Leo’s. But no one does madeleine like a Dupain-Cheng.”  _

Tim glanced around smirking.  _ “This looks like a lot more than just madeleines.”  _

_ “Well, Alfred wanted some tips on making macarons, and… I was raised by bakers, making small batches of anything has never been my strong suit. Luckily, I hear sweets don’t last long in the Wayne household.”  _

Neither Marinette nor Tim saw the look exchanged between the butler and the boy, but Alfred was soon clearing his throat.  _ “Miss Marinette, I think Leo and I have things handled here if you would like to begin Master Tim’s fitting.”  _

_ “Are you sure? I can-” _

_ “We’re fine, Maman,”  _ Leo interrupted.  _ “Someone needs to tell Monsieur Alfred when to take out the macarons.”  _

Marinette looked surprised.  _ “Well, it seems my son has taken to Alfred. As long as he doesn’t mind, I guess it’s just you and me.”  _

_ “It’s a privilege, Miss Marinette,”  _ Alfred promised.  _ “Go on, you’ve got a job to do.”  _

Tim felt inexplicably nervous, and excited, and - did Alfred just wink at him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last daily update that you guys get - we're quickly catching up to what I have already written. But I should have the story done before too much longer. I'm tentatively planning for it to have twelve chapters, so we're already halfway done!


	7. Chapter 7

Tim shouldn’t have felt nervous about his fitting, but his stomach had been in a state of unrest since the moment he walked in and saw her in the kitchen. Just seeing her brought a whole barrage of emotions he didn’t know what to do with.

_ “Listen to Alfred,”  _ she reminded her son as she pulled off her apron - not that he would need the reminder. 

“Shall we?” Tim asked, offering his arm. Marinette didn’t miss the blush dusting his cheeks, but she also did her best not to draw attention to it, thanks to the matching one she was sporting. 

They walked for a few moments in silence until he said, “So do I need to be blindfolded, or do I get to see the suit so far?” 

“You get to see it. Now is when you tell me if you want me to change anything. It’s not done, by any means, but you’ll get the general idea.” 

He had practically spent his entire life in suits at this point, so in theory Tim should have known what he wanted, or even had some idea of what he was looking for - and he did, if he was just picking one off of a rack. But this was  _ MDC.  _ Of course it would be per-

“Um, I know you’re the fashion expert, but don’t most suits have a lining? Or something like that?” 

“The lining is going to be a surprise. Right now we’re looking at the fit, the style… Basically this is when you tell me if you hate it,” she said, handing him the garments before leaving the room. 

Obviously the clothes were unfinished. The pant legs were unhemmed, the suitcoat’s seams were exposed inside, and there was untrimmed thread  _ everywhere _ . But as Tim put it on, there was a warmth that accompanied it. Something about the suit just felt  _ right _ . He wore a stupidly satisfied smile when he let Marinette back in. 

She immediately began circling him, eyeing the whole thing critically, occasionally commanding him to raise his arms, or sit down, or something similar. Finally her face cleared. “I only see a few minor adjustments that need to be made. Do you have any requests, or notes?” 

“Well, I would like it to be lined,” he teased. “But other than that, this is the best suit I’ve ever owned.” 

“That’s what I like to hear,” she said with a smile.

Tim deliberated for a second before saying, “Listen, Marinette. I don’t know if Bruce brought this up to you, but I -  _ we  _ would like to invite you to the Wayne Gala. Childcare is provided for any who wish it, and it’s a masquerade, so you could potentially meet some new clients without compromising your anonymity.”

It wasn’t what Tim wanted to say - the words “date” and “plus one” kept pounding through his mind. 

“I’ll have to figure out a dress, but I would love to,” Marinette said with yet another smile. She was quiet for a moment, looking down before she met his eyes again, hers filled with resolve. “Before the gala, though, would you… You can say no, and this will stay strictly professional. But would you like to go on a date with me? It would just be to coffee, since I don’t have anyone to watch Leo, but-” 

“Yes!” Tim said eagerly,  _ too  _ eagerly. He cleared his throat before saying in a more subdued tone, “That would be wonderful. I would love to join you.” 

If Tim thought her smiles were bright before, now they were positively blinding. “Perfect. It’s a date.” 

************

Marinette couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit shy after that, but as her hands deftly pinned his suit, every fiber of her being sang with excitement. She had to keep it professional, though! At the moment she was on a job. 

Before she could say something and promptly put her foot in her mouth, she sensed a presence, confirmed by the sharp sound of a backpack hitting the floor. It seemed Damian was back from school, then. In a way she appreciated the presence of someone else in the room, but any relief he supplied was killed when he had to go and open his mouth. 

“So you’ve decided to use Alfred as a babysitter now?” he asked in that cold, superior tone of his. 

“Sir Pennyworth offered, and I gratefully accepted,” Marinette said, carefully pinning exactly where Tim’s suit coat needed to be taken in. “I can assure you that my aim is not to take advantage of anyone.” 

Based on her research, Damian Wayne hadn’t had an easy life. There was little to no information on what his life had been like with his mother, but he resembled a wild animal, suspicious, snarling, and scarred. He may finally be comfortable with his family, but it was clear he felt that Marinette was a threat, and it was doubly clear that he would use whatever means necessary to drive her away. 

But that was no excuse for what he said next. 

“He’s a valuable tool, isn’t he? People probably jump at the opportunity to give more than the asking price to the poor single mother with the adorable child. Or were you legitimately unable to keep his father? You-”

Damian was cut off by Marinette’s hand slapping loudly across his cheek. She shouldn't have moved so quickly, it was almost beyond the average human’s capability, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. 

“I don’t care what you say about me, I’ve heard it all before. But don’t you  _ dare _ bring Leo into this. Since you’re so hell-bent on tormenting me with this, I’ll tell you. Leo doesn’t have a father.” 

Tim felt his heart stop at the look in her eyes, equally feral and wounded. Meanwhile Damian seemed… confused. It had to be at that very moment that Jason and Dick stumbled in from taking care of a hostage situation. Dick made to greet everyone, but Jason stopped him, taking in the icy atmosphere. 

“That’s nonsense, one way or another he has to have a father,” Damian sneered, losing a bit of his icy facade. 

“No, Leo does not have a father. There was a man once that took more from me than should be allowed - he took until he broke me. Leo is not that man’s son, he was the only thing the universe could have possibly given me to make up for what was lost. That man has nothing to do with Leo.” 

“Damian, you need to apologize to Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Dick said, face stormy now that he had somewhat of a grasp on the situation. 

Marinette simply held up a hand. “There’s no need, Mr. Grayson. I’ve been called everything he insinuated before, and that was just by people who were supposed to be friends. But mark my words, Damian Wayne. If you ever insult  _ my  _ son again, there will be hell to pay.” 

The silence and tension in the room was palpable, and Marinette fought to push down the little part of her that found their fear both satisfying and amusing. Instead she straightened her cardigan and said, “Each of your suits are over there. Go try them on.” 

If she had to hide her smirk from seeing all three of them fleeing with their suits, well, that was her business. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer and closer to the end, but this might not be the last that we see of Leo! I keep getting more and more ideas about what he would be like when he was older, so don't be surprised if this fic becomes a series. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think, and I'll see you soon!


	8. Chapter 8

The room seemed empty without the plague that was his brothers. Tim stood silent and still for a few moments longer (long enough to make it awkward) before he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about Damian, he was out of line.” 

“He was, but I was a little out of line as well,” Marinette said with a sigh. “But you are also not responsible for your brother. I feel like I need to apologize and let you know that it’s okay if you don’t want to go for coffee.” 

“No, we’re still on for that,” Tim said immediately. “As long as you still want to, of course.” 

“I’ll be waiting in anticipation. But I’ve held you captive for too long already, I’m sure you’ve got things to do, naps to take. Unless you have any last minute comments or complaints on the suit?” 

“Ask me that again on a day when I’ve had more than forty-five minutes of sleep. Then I’ll have an incredibly witty response,” Tim said with a smile. “Aside from the lack of lining, the suit is everything I never knew I needed.” 

He carefully took off the jacket while his mind raced. Hearing the way Marinette had phrased her experiences had struck him with the fact that Paris wasn’t nearly as idyllic and safe as they had supposed, and the thought of Marinette in danger was unacceptable. Instead of sleeping, Tim found himself compiling a briefing file on the crime history of Paris, as well as the most important aspects of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Now Tim just had to convince everyone else that some of them needed to go assess the situation in the city itself. There were numerous evidences that Hawkmoth was an issue of the past, but the fact that the whole situation had gone on for at least four years without the League even noticing was… concerning, to say the least. 

Privately, Tim couldn’t help but wonder just how Marinette’s name hadn’t been added to the list of “akumatized” victims. From everything he knew of her, she was fueled by love and passion - she was an unstoppable force of emotion. He couldn’t help but respect her all the more. 

Ladybug was also a mystery. Paris wasn’t in constant danger like before, but she remained active, helping out in day-to-day crime. Chat Noir showed up occasionally, but she seemed to be the only regular hero. 

It was hours before the fittings for Dick and Jason were finished, and then he called everyone in for a meeting. Damian looked incredibly annoyed, a good portion of which was a remnant from his earlier collision with Marinette. Just thinking about the skirmish was enough for Tim to decide he was at least a little bit in love with the woman. Anyone who could put Damian in his place like that was someone to be respected. 

“So what’s up, Timmy? Why the family meeting? It must be serious if even Alfred is part of this,” Dick said, sitting down.

“First I have a question for Bruce. Did the League ever get any kind of distress call from Paris between nine and five years ago?” 

“From Paris? None that I know of. What’s going on, Tim?” Bruce asked, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Sit down boys, there’s been a serious oversight.” 

Tim handed them each a file and sat down, settling in to watch their reactions. 

*******

“Why do you keep looking in the mirror,  _ Maman _ ?” 

Marinette lurched away from the bathroom mirror, cheeks flushing. “I… I was just making sure my hair looked okay.” 

“You look pretty,  _ Maman. _ I’m sure  _ Monsieur  _ Tim will think so too. When this is done you need to invite him to Paris so you can go on a date without me, like it’s supposed to be.” 

Choking on her spit, Marinette stared at her child. “Leo! Who told you to say such a thing?!” 

“Uncle Kim says that kids aren’t supposed to go on dates.” 

“Well, that’s usually true,” she said, massaging her temples. “But people go on dates to see if they like someone enough to see if they want them to be in their lives forever. If a man wants to be in my life forever, I have to make sure that you like him.” 

“I told you, we’re supposed to know  _ Monsieur  _ Tim,” Leo said, slightly exasperated. “He makes us both happier.” 

“You’re right, and I trust you, but  _ Monsieur  _ Tim and I just need to get to know each other before anything happens.” 

“Fine,” Leo huffed, dramatically throwing himself onto his hotel bed. Marinette couldn’t help but shake her head. Her son was incredibly mature, and sometimes it felt like he could practically see into the future. But she loved the reminders that he was still just a child. 

“Stop pouting, it’s time to go,” Marinette said, shoving him off of the bed. He caught himself with ease - it seemed that he’d been blessed with a natural athleticism instead of her own inborn clumsiness.

The coffee shop was easily within walking distance, and Marinette held Leo’s hand with the strength of a vice - it was Gotham, after all, and they didn’t have the best track record with the city. 

After walking for about a block, Marinette finally brought herself to ask Leo what she’d been wondering since she and Leo had met Tim. “Leo?” 

“Hmm?” 

“What do you mean when you keep saying that we’re supposed to know  _ Monsieur  _ Tim?”

He turned to her, gifting her with one of his rare full smiles, and Marinette barely resisted the urge to smother him in a hug. His blue eyes sparkled with some secret knowledge before he said, “That’s a secret,  _ Maman.  _ You just have to wait and find out.” 

“Leo, that’s not fair,” Marinette said, mock pouting. 

“ _ Monsieur  _ Tim is going to be important to us both, but especially to you,” Leo said plainly. “He can understand you in a way that most people can’t, but he wouldn’t try to pity you or something like that.” 

Whatever she had been expecting, it definitely hadn’t been a reply like that. Marinette found herself rendered speechless for the rest of the walk, her mind racing with the possibilities of what Leo could possibly mean by that. 

They were early, but Tim was actually already inside, remarkably awake for so early in the morning. He sat at one of the tables by the window, and when he caught sight of her he waved wildly. (Marinette couldn’t tease him about it though, she and Leo waved just as enthusiastically.) She couldn’t help but smile. With a start to her day like this, how could it go wrong? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter, kids! I posted about this on Tumblr, but I want your opinion as well. I have at least two more ideas for Mominette fics, would y'all be interested in me posting them? I'm still trying to ride through quarantine without seeing my nieces and nephews, so I need children in my life SOMEHOW.


	9. Chapter 9

Tim hadn’t been sure about meeting Marinette so early in the morning - would he be able to wake up in time? But he wouldn’t miss this for the world, so obviously the solution had been simply not to sleep at all. Tragically his body was used to it at this point, but as long as he had caffeine he would be just fine.

He knew he was stupidly early to their date, but Tim wasn’t willing to waste a single moment with Marinette. He also didn’t have anything to do until his scheduled nap between the coffee date and his first meeting of the day. So, he ordered his coffee - he didn’t even have to speak to the barista, he just gave her the money. Every barista in Gotham knew his order by heart at this point.

The wordless interaction was perfect for so early in the day. Tim paid and sat down to wait for an hour. He hadn’t even gotten his coffee before he spotted Marinette and Leo skipping towards the shop, hand-in-hand. The intense flood of emotions just from seeing the two left Tim flustered - part of him wanted to look away, temper those feelings, but the larger part of him couldn’t, especially when she spotted him and waved. Like the fool he was, Tim flapped his arm back wildly and without abandon. 

“ _ Bonjour _ !” mother and son called in unison the second the shop door opened. 

_ “Bonjour! _ ” Tim greeted back before informing the barista, “I’ll be paying for them.” 

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Marinette exclaimed. “I asked you out, this should be my treat!” 

“I’ll let you pay for the next date,” Tim offered with a smile. He immediately regretted saying it, blushing lightly. Was the sleep deprivation really getting to him that badly already? 

But, to his pleasure, Marinette just smiled from across the room. “Well, I suppose that means I’ll have to make sure that we have a second date. You know, because I need to make sure we keep everything even.” 

Tim honestly couldn’t bring himself to care about the barista staring at them - if anything went public that they didn’t want to, he had lawyers he could call. Dangerously close to making a fool of himself, Tim turned his attention to Leo and asked in French, “ _ What would you like? I can order it for you.”  _

Clearly thinking deeply, Leo said in perfect English, “I would like one small hot chocolate, please.”

“Which muffin do you want? You need something other than hot chocolate for breakfast,” Marinette said, also in English.

“Blueberry, please.” 

Marinette placed her order as well, and Tim was attempting to reel in his shock as they moved to the table.

“So you can speak English already, Leo?” Tim asked. 

“A little,” he said, ducking his head. 

“He likes to practice when he’s alone,” Marinette mock-whispered. “The fact that he used English in front of you means that he trusts you a lot.” 

Something almost felt like Tim got stabbed through the heart, but in a pleasant way. For once, Tim could understand Bruce’s compulsions to adopt every spare child. 

The three settled into a comfortable conversation. Leo was largely content to nibble at his muffin while observing the adults with luminous eyes. Tim somehow got on the subject of his brothers, which Marinette was incredibly curious about as an only child. (If the stories ensured that Marinette could never see any of his brothers in a romantic light, so be it.)

“-and so Dick was trying to get Damian off of Jason, but if we just pulled him, Dick would take a good chunk of Jason’s arm with him. Dick tried tickling, poking, bribing, all to no avail. Jason was convinced that he was going to get rabies from Damian, and we just knew that this all needed to get resolved before Bruce and Alfred got home. Literally two seconds later, Alfred walks in-”

The story was interrupted by a loud crash and someone shouting, “This is a holdup! Everyone cooperate and no one gets hurt!” 

It was just Killer Moth - he was such a joke in Gotham that the barista just kind of looked bored. His garishly purple costume was as atrocious as ever, and Tim even heard the sound of sirens coming closer already. He turned to Marinette with a wry smile and a snarky comment about the man’s costume, but looking at Marinette froze him. 

She had crowded Leo up against the window, body positioned like she was shielding him from something. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her chest was heaving with erratic breathing. 

Looking at her, at the lines of panic in her body, a piece of Tim shattered. All the light and joy he’d been feeling with her was gone, confirming the thought he’d been suppressing for a while.

Marinette didn’t belong in Gotham. It was too much violence and darkness for her to withstand, let alone Leo. Tim’s entire world was poison to the girl he was beginning to love. 

*********

Marinette crushed Leo to her chest, all of her worst nightmares flashing before her eyes. She couldn’t let Leo be exposed to Hawkmoth, he wouldn’t know the horrors of-

His small hand touched her cheek, grounding her the slightest bit. “ _ It’s not him, Maman. We’re safe.” _

Deeply inhaling, Marinette though fort a few moments - the butterfly miraculous was securely locked away in the Miracle Box, and Gabriel Agreste was similarly locked away in a maximum security prison. When she opened her eyes, the villain in a frankly offensive costume was being hauled away by the police. She moved away from where she was crushing Leo, and slowly, hesitantly she met Tim’s eyes.

What could she say after having a full-blown PTSD episode? How was she supposed to explain her reaction? “I-”

“Are you okay?” he asked, voice lined with concern. Even though it seemed genuine, he was already looking at her differently. His blue eyes were shuttered, and a part of him closed off from her, likely forever. 

Of course he wouldn’t want to deal with that much baggage on top of a child. Tim was a truly good man, but he was also a CEO with a limited amount of time in his day. They finished their breakfasts, but what little conversation they had was stilted. Leo kept glancing between the two of them, obviously upset by the way the adults were acting. 

When it came time for them to leave, Marinette met Tim’s eyes and offered a feeble smile, even though she felt her heart fracturing in her chest. “I insist you go home and take a nap,  _ Monsieur  _ Tim. You’ve certainly earned it at this point.” 

He smiled back, but it wasn’t without pain. “Don’t work yourself too hard. If I don’t see you before then, I look forward to showing your suit off at the gala. I’ll see you there, won’t I?” 

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Marinette said, attempting to renew her pasted-on grin. “Now come, Leo. We need to say goodbye to  _ Monsieur  _ Tim so he can get a nap in before he has important business to tend to.” 

Leo’s face creased as he glanced between the adults. “Why are you both acting weird? What happened?” 

“Nothing happened, it’s just time for us to leave  _ Monsieur  _ Tim alone,” Marinette said, her smile beginning to collapse. 

Glancing frantically between the adults, Leo looked genuinely distressed. “ _ But you’re supposed to love each other.” _

Marinette felt like she was going to pass out right there until she realized that Leo had spoken in the language of the Guardian. Tim couldn’t have understood him, but Marinette already felt exhausted. 

In the same language, she said, “Sometimes it isn’t that easy, Leo. We can talk about this later. Say goodbye to  _ Monsieur  _ Tim. ”

The goodbyes were brief, and Marinette felt like she was suffocating as she had to drag her obviously upset son away. She didn’t look back to see him, partially occupied with Leo’s uncharacteristic disagreement, but mostly because she didn’t want to see whether Tim’s sad eyes lingered on them or not. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter! Most of my time was spent writing for Jasonette July, and then I had to move back to college and start my new program, so it's been a little hectic. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! If you want more mominette content, take a look at my submission for Jasonette July, How to be a Dad 101!

**Author's Note:**

> I'd never really experienced being baby-hungry before, and then quarantine happened and I wasn't able to see my nieces and nephews for over a month. During that time a good number of my friends announced that they were pregnant, and I miss being surrounded by children. This is super self-indulgent, so I don't really take criticism. If this isn't your cup of tea, move along. Also don't be surprised if you see more kid fics coming your way. I have had entirely too much time missing the children in my life, so I also have a Daminette thing partially written, and several other ideas screaming at me.


End file.
